SC-18: MOBILE CODE

TAILORED FOR INDUSTRIAL CONTROL SYSTEMS

• ICS Control Baselines:

• Moderate
• High

• a. Defines acceptable and unacceptable mobile code and mobile code technologies;
• b. Establishes usage restrictions and implementation guidance for acceptable mobile code and mobile code technologies; and
• c. Authorizes, monitors, and controls the use of mobile code within the information system.

SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE

Decisions regarding the employment of mobile code within organizational information systems are based on the potential for the code to cause damage to the systems if used maliciously. Mobile code technologies include, for example, Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, Postscript, PDF, Shockwave movies, Flash animations, and VBScript. Usage restrictions and implementation guidance apply to both the selection and use of mobile code installed on servers and mobile code downloaded and executed on individual workstations and devices (e.g., smart phones). Mobile code policy and procedures address preventing the development, acquisition, or introduction of unacceptable mobile code within organizational information systems.

ICS SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE

No ICS Supplemental Guidance.

CONTROL ENHANCEMENTS

SC-18 (1) MOBILE CODE | IDENTIFY UNACCEPTABLE CODE / TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

NOT SELECTED FOR THE NIST ISC CONTROL SET

The information system identifies [Assignment: organization-defined unacceptable mobile code] and takes [Assignment: organization-defined corrective actions].

Supplemental Guidance:

Corrective actions when unacceptable mobile code is detected include, for example, blocking, quarantine, or alerting administrators. Blocking includes, for example, preventing transmission of word processing files with embedded macros when such macros have been defined to be unacceptable mobile code.

SC-18 (2) MOBILE CODE | ACQUISITION / DEVELOPMENT / USE

NOT SELECTED FOR THE NIST ISC CONTROL SET

The organization ensures that the acquisition, development, and use of mobile code to be deployed in the information system meets [Assignment: organization-defined mobile code requirements].

Supplemental Guidance: NONE

SC-18 (3) MOBILE CODE | PREVENT DOWNLOADING / EXECUTION

NOT SELECTED FOR THE NIST ISC CONTROL SET

The information system prevents the download and execution of [Assignment: organization-defined unacceptable mobile code].

Supplemental Guidance: NONE

SC-18 (4) MOBILE CODE | PREVENT AUTOMATIC EXECUTION

NOT SELECTED FOR THE NIST ISC CONTROL SET

The information system prevents the automatic execution of mobile code in [Assignment: organization-defined software applications] and enforces [Assignment: organization-defined actions] prior to executing the code.

Supplemental Guidance:

Actions enforced before executing mobile code, include, for example, prompting users prior to opening electronic mail attachments. Preventing automatic execution of mobile code includes, for example, disabling auto execute features on information system components employing portable storage devices such as Compact Disks (CDs), Digital Video Disks (DVDs), and Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices.

SC-18 (5) MOBILE CODE | ALLOW EXECUTION ONLY IN CONFINED ENVIRONMENTS

NOT SELECTED FOR THE NIST ISC CONTROL SET

The organization allows execution of permitted mobile code only in confined virtual machine environments.

Supplemental Guidance: NONE

REFERENCES:

• DoD Instruction 8552.01
• NIST Special Publication 800-28